STUNNING … BEHIND THE SCENES, HUNTER PUSHES BACK … HUNTER is refusing to resign from his committees, even though SPEAKER PAUL RYAN said he has to step off until this matter is resolved. Hunter is on Armed Services, Education and the Workforce and Transportation. HOUSE REPUBLICANS are now planning to remove him from his committees. The GOP steering committee is meeting Tuesday, Sept. 4, where this has been added to the docket. The full GOP conference is expected to ratify this on Sept. 5, and then it will go to the House floor, where it will be made official…

— THE BIG PICTURE: Two House Republicans have been indicted this month. Democrats — who were looking to turn this into a “corruption” election — are feeling good at the moment.